Teva Scarborough - founder and director
Teva correcting young dance student
Early education and training
Born in Cape Town in 1972, Teva Scarborough, experienced dance from a young age as she shadowed her mother, a dance teacher, dancer and choreographer. She began her dance training in Canada at age 5 attending Ballet classes at the National Ballet school of Canada and Creative Movement classes with her mother, Jenny van Papendorp.
Years of training in Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Spanish, Jazz, African and Pantsula followed. Her early passion for dance grew as she was exposed to many gifted teachers, amongst these most notably were Joke van der Klink, Nira Trifon, Veronica Esterhuizen, Mavis Becker and most importantly her mother.
After completing her Matric with Ballet and Visual Art as two of her subjects, Teva enrolled at the University of Cape Town where she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992, majoring in Drama as UCT did not at that time offer Contemporary Dance as a degree.
She then joined the Jazzart Dance Company just as they became a professional outreach contemporary dance company under CAPAB. During her time with Jazzart Teva trained in the Release Technique under Alfred Hinkel and found a new interest in local dance forms. Being a part of a multi-racial company and touring townships as part of their schools program opened Teva's eyes to the role of dance in society and the important role it could play as an educational tool and form of recreation for young people.
After leaving Jazzart, Teva continued to dance as a freelance artist working with choreographers such as Gary Gordon, Balu Searle and Joke van der Klink and then spent some time travelling.
Entry into Fitness Industry
In 1996 as a single mother of a 15 month old son, Teva enrolled in a fitness course run by Reebok Instructors Alliance due to the fact that she needed access to more ways to earn an income and could not, at that stage, rehearse at night and go on tour with freelance companies. It was during this period that she discovered a new passion - fitness!
She completed both her Personal and Group Training certificates and subsequently moved to Knysna where she became a Reebok Lecturer and Master Trainer for the Garden Route, running lectures, workshops, classes and exams from George to East London.
During her time in Knysna she also became a workshop provider for the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), the start of another working relationship that would lead to many years of interaction and opportunities.
On her return to Cape Town, Teva became an independant contractor for Health and Racquet and as the organisation was transformed into Virgin Active, Teva became an active role-player in staff training, development of new programs and initiation of trial ideas. She worked as a Fitness Specialist for The Point, Virgin Active and later for SMART - a corporate fitness company.
Continued Education and Experience
In 2002, Teva returned to UCT to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Education , majoring in Drama, English and the only FET student teacher to have a third major in Arts and Culture enabling her to teach in both Primary and High Schools.
Her first tecahing post was as an English Teacher at Westerford High School, where she choreographed the musical, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat, coached boys under 16 Basketball and initiated Aerobics as an after school sport. Feeling unsettled as an English teacher, Teva then worked as an Arts and Culture Teacher at Windsor HIgh School and The Battswood Arts Center.
Still feeling like she had more to learn, Teva completed a Pilates Mat course with Renee Watson and returned to freelance work.
She then spent the next few years teaching for Virgin Active and various Pilates studios and became involved in short term commissions such as teaching Dance Studies learners after school at Herzlia, choreographing the musical Grease for Bergvleit High School and running teacher training workshops for the WCED.
After the birth of her second child in 2005, Teva continued working as an independant contractor and also began research and writing projects. She was commissioned by the WCED to create a study guide for the Health Care Syllabus for Dance Studies and contributed towards their History and Theory of Dance Study Guide. Her next commission was by the publishing house, Maskew Miller Longman, where she contributed various chapters for the Grade 12 Dance Studies textbook after which she authored the Dance database for the computer program, Rubricate, designed as an assessment resource for school teachers.
These projects were followed by the creation of 2 teacher training DVDs commissioned by the WCED - 'Warming up and Cooling down', and 'Everybody Dance!'
Moving out of the center of Cape Town to the South Peninsula meant a move away from Fitness for a while and exploration of new opportunities for Teva. She again became involved in freelance dance teaching as she created new networks and became involved in a project initiated by well known dancer and choreographer, Christopher Kindo, which would alter her entire career path and view of the world.
Work in non-profit organisations, dance and fundraising
Christopher, originally from Ocean View had succeeded in creating a dance career for himself and for many years wanted to be able to return to his community and create similar opportunities for the youth. In June 2007 he began dance classes in a local yoga studio just outside Ocean View on a commerical farm, Imhoff. Teva joined him as an assistant teacher in September 2007 to cover his classes while he was away on a choreography contract. Seeing a huge opportunitiy for development, Teva offered to use her writing, designing and organisational skills to help Christopher advertise, market and raise awareness for his project. She became the Project Manager in January 2008 and took on regular classes allowing Christopher to return to paid choreographic work while remaining the director of the project. After much patience and determination The Tertia Kindo Arts Project (TKAP) became a registered Not-for-profit organisation enabling them to raise funds and provide a wider range of classes and opportunities.
Through generous donations and help from friends Teva built a dance studio in Ocean View High School and assisted the school to apply for a Dance Studies post. In 2009 she taught Dance Studies to the grade 8, 9 and 10 learners at the High School and continued to run TKAP classes from the school venue in the afternoon. After 3 years, during which time Teva had grown TKAP from 15 to over 90 students, produced and choreographed 3 major dance shows and raised enough money to ensure all the children could have subsidised dance classes, she felt she could not continue without adequate support and TKAP closed its doors. Although it was a sad time, it enabled Teva to explore other freelance opportunities again and find other ways to make a difference in the lives of many of the talented and dedicated children she felt should not be left behind.
Teva continued to work with some children from the Ocean View and Masiphumelele communities by staying involved with the eMzantsi carnival and raising funds through friends to help certain talented dancers attend classes in other studios in Fish Hoek. In 2011, Teva returned to Ocean View High as a part time teacher to help fast track the last goup of Matrics through their dance syllabus (Dance Studies was to b pulled out of the school by the WCED in 2012.) During this time she again ran a few afternoon classes from the studio to enable the other talented children to continue their dance training. With no registered NPO number and therefore no access to funding these classes were made possble again through private donations made by individuals and funnding from the eMzantsi carnival.
Now, in 2013, Teva is still raising funds for dancers from Ocean View and Masiphumelele to attend dance classes in local Fish Hoek Dance studios. These dancers attend a vareity of classes every week and have been selected not only due to their visible talent but their dedication and commitment. The money raised towards this pays for their dance fees and exam fees.
Money is also being raised for one of her most talented male dance students who lived with Teva and her family for 6 months while she helped him through his matric exams. Through her assistance he auditioned for and received a scholarship for a 3 year Dance and Theatre Training Diploma at CAPA (Cape Academy of Performing Arts).
Teva currently teaches a variety of Fitness and Dance classes at Steenberg Virgin Active, Pilates mat and equipment classes at Sunflower Pilates in Sunvalley and acts as a locum dance teacher for local dance studios. She created a new Dance program for Virgin Active which was launched in the clubs nationwide in August 2012 and continues to be taught in certain clubs. She has been commissioned to teach and choreograph for Rhythm Productions Dance Center and is working with groups of Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners from various schools who are doing Dance Studies as an 8th subject after school hours.
Born in Cape Town in 1972, Teva Scarborough, experienced dance from a young age as she shadowed her mother, a dance teacher, dancer and choreographer. She began her dance training in Canada at age 5 attending Ballet classes at the National Ballet school of Canada and Creative Movement classes with her mother, Jenny van Papendorp.
Years of training in Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Spanish, Jazz, African and Pantsula followed. Her early passion for dance grew as she was exposed to many gifted teachers, amongst these most notably were Joke van der Klink, Nira Trifon, Veronica Esterhuizen, Mavis Becker and most importantly her mother.
After completing her Matric with Ballet and Visual Art as two of her subjects, Teva enrolled at the University of Cape Town where she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992, majoring in Drama as UCT did not at that time offer Contemporary Dance as a degree.
She then joined the Jazzart Dance Company just as they became a professional outreach contemporary dance company under CAPAB. During her time with Jazzart Teva trained in the Release Technique under Alfred Hinkel and found a new interest in local dance forms. Being a part of a multi-racial company and touring townships as part of their schools program opened Teva's eyes to the role of dance in society and the important role it could play as an educational tool and form of recreation for young people.
After leaving Jazzart, Teva continued to dance as a freelance artist working with choreographers such as Gary Gordon, Balu Searle and Joke van der Klink and then spent some time travelling.
Entry into Fitness Industry
In 1996 as a single mother of a 15 month old son, Teva enrolled in a fitness course run by Reebok Instructors Alliance due to the fact that she needed access to more ways to earn an income and could not, at that stage, rehearse at night and go on tour with freelance companies. It was during this period that she discovered a new passion - fitness!
She completed both her Personal and Group Training certificates and subsequently moved to Knysna where she became a Reebok Lecturer and Master Trainer for the Garden Route, running lectures, workshops, classes and exams from George to East London.
During her time in Knysna she also became a workshop provider for the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), the start of another working relationship that would lead to many years of interaction and opportunities.
On her return to Cape Town, Teva became an independant contractor for Health and Racquet and as the organisation was transformed into Virgin Active, Teva became an active role-player in staff training, development of new programs and initiation of trial ideas. She worked as a Fitness Specialist for The Point, Virgin Active and later for SMART - a corporate fitness company.
Continued Education and Experience
In 2002, Teva returned to UCT to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Education , majoring in Drama, English and the only FET student teacher to have a third major in Arts and Culture enabling her to teach in both Primary and High Schools.
Her first tecahing post was as an English Teacher at Westerford High School, where she choreographed the musical, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat, coached boys under 16 Basketball and initiated Aerobics as an after school sport. Feeling unsettled as an English teacher, Teva then worked as an Arts and Culture Teacher at Windsor HIgh School and The Battswood Arts Center.
Still feeling like she had more to learn, Teva completed a Pilates Mat course with Renee Watson and returned to freelance work.
She then spent the next few years teaching for Virgin Active and various Pilates studios and became involved in short term commissions such as teaching Dance Studies learners after school at Herzlia, choreographing the musical Grease for Bergvleit High School and running teacher training workshops for the WCED.
After the birth of her second child in 2005, Teva continued working as an independant contractor and also began research and writing projects. She was commissioned by the WCED to create a study guide for the Health Care Syllabus for Dance Studies and contributed towards their History and Theory of Dance Study Guide. Her next commission was by the publishing house, Maskew Miller Longman, where she contributed various chapters for the Grade 12 Dance Studies textbook after which she authored the Dance database for the computer program, Rubricate, designed as an assessment resource for school teachers.
These projects were followed by the creation of 2 teacher training DVDs commissioned by the WCED - 'Warming up and Cooling down', and 'Everybody Dance!'
Moving out of the center of Cape Town to the South Peninsula meant a move away from Fitness for a while and exploration of new opportunities for Teva. She again became involved in freelance dance teaching as she created new networks and became involved in a project initiated by well known dancer and choreographer, Christopher Kindo, which would alter her entire career path and view of the world.
Work in non-profit organisations, dance and fundraising
Christopher, originally from Ocean View had succeeded in creating a dance career for himself and for many years wanted to be able to return to his community and create similar opportunities for the youth. In June 2007 he began dance classes in a local yoga studio just outside Ocean View on a commerical farm, Imhoff. Teva joined him as an assistant teacher in September 2007 to cover his classes while he was away on a choreography contract. Seeing a huge opportunitiy for development, Teva offered to use her writing, designing and organisational skills to help Christopher advertise, market and raise awareness for his project. She became the Project Manager in January 2008 and took on regular classes allowing Christopher to return to paid choreographic work while remaining the director of the project. After much patience and determination The Tertia Kindo Arts Project (TKAP) became a registered Not-for-profit organisation enabling them to raise funds and provide a wider range of classes and opportunities.
Through generous donations and help from friends Teva built a dance studio in Ocean View High School and assisted the school to apply for a Dance Studies post. In 2009 she taught Dance Studies to the grade 8, 9 and 10 learners at the High School and continued to run TKAP classes from the school venue in the afternoon. After 3 years, during which time Teva had grown TKAP from 15 to over 90 students, produced and choreographed 3 major dance shows and raised enough money to ensure all the children could have subsidised dance classes, she felt she could not continue without adequate support and TKAP closed its doors. Although it was a sad time, it enabled Teva to explore other freelance opportunities again and find other ways to make a difference in the lives of many of the talented and dedicated children she felt should not be left behind.
Teva continued to work with some children from the Ocean View and Masiphumelele communities by staying involved with the eMzantsi carnival and raising funds through friends to help certain talented dancers attend classes in other studios in Fish Hoek. In 2011, Teva returned to Ocean View High as a part time teacher to help fast track the last goup of Matrics through their dance syllabus (Dance Studies was to b pulled out of the school by the WCED in 2012.) During this time she again ran a few afternoon classes from the studio to enable the other talented children to continue their dance training. With no registered NPO number and therefore no access to funding these classes were made possble again through private donations made by individuals and funnding from the eMzantsi carnival.
Now, in 2013, Teva is still raising funds for dancers from Ocean View and Masiphumelele to attend dance classes in local Fish Hoek Dance studios. These dancers attend a vareity of classes every week and have been selected not only due to their visible talent but their dedication and commitment. The money raised towards this pays for their dance fees and exam fees.
Money is also being raised for one of her most talented male dance students who lived with Teva and her family for 6 months while she helped him through his matric exams. Through her assistance he auditioned for and received a scholarship for a 3 year Dance and Theatre Training Diploma at CAPA (Cape Academy of Performing Arts).
Teva currently teaches a variety of Fitness and Dance classes at Steenberg Virgin Active, Pilates mat and equipment classes at Sunflower Pilates in Sunvalley and acts as a locum dance teacher for local dance studios. She created a new Dance program for Virgin Active which was launched in the clubs nationwide in August 2012 and continues to be taught in certain clubs. She has been commissioned to teach and choreograph for Rhythm Productions Dance Center and is working with groups of Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners from various schools who are doing Dance Studies as an 8th subject after school hours.